Rajasthan

Rajasthan Culture

Hindi is the official language of the state. But the principal language is "Rajasthani", and the four major dialects are Marwari in the west, Jaipuri in the east, Malwi in the southeast and Mewati in the northeast. But Hindi language is replacing Rajasthani. Moreover, you will find English speaking people in all the major cities, and in remote villages also you will find someone who can speak and understand English. But other languages are completely unknown. You may ask Tour Operators to help you on this and they do have guides who know almost all the languages.

Religion

Hindusim is the main religion of Rajasthan. Other significant religious groups in the state are the Jains and the Muslims. There are many local folk heros and local deities such as Pabuji, Ramdeoji, Gogaji, Mehaji, Tejaji & Harbhuji.

Art & architecture

Rajasthan is known for its traditional and colorful art. The block prints, tie and die prints, Bagaru prints, Sanganer prints, Zari embroidery are major export products from Rajasthan. Handicraft items like wooden furniture and handicrafts, carpets, blur potteries are some of the things you will find here. Rajasthan is shoppers paradise.

Rajasthan is famous for the majestic forts, intricately carved temples and decorated havelis. Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples, Chittauragrh Fort, Lake Palace Hotel, City Palaces, Jaisalmer Havelis are true architectural heritage.

Music and Dance of Rajasthan

The music and dances of Rajasthan are heady, exciting, hypnotic and compelling… and very much a part of the eternal appeal of this strange and wondrous land. They constitute the very warp and weft of life in Rajasthan-indeed the state has a very vibrant, highly evolved tradition of performing arts carefully nurtured and sustained over the centuries.

Every region has its own very dialect of music and dance. The Ghoomar dance from Udaipur and Kalbeliya dance of Jaisalmer have international recognition. Folk music is a vital part of Rajasthan culture. Songs are used to tell the legendary battles of Rajputs. Folk songs are commonly ballads which relate heroic deeds, love stories, and religious or devotional songs known as bhajans and banis and often accompanied by musical instruments like dholak, sitar, sarangi etc.

Cuisine of Rajasthan

'The land of Princes', as Rajasthan is called boasts of many a fine kitchen - both within the palaces and outside. Princely kitchens have produced many an incomparable and exotic delicacy of shikar meat. The smoked Rajasthani kebab - sule - is bare-be-cued in about a dozen different ways. At the other extreme is Maheshwari Cuisine or the vegetarian cuisine of the Maheshwars of the Marwar or the Jodhpur area.

Sand Dunes

Rajasthan is known for its colorful culture, wildlife, historical monuments, forts, gardens, lakes and markets. But the most unique offering of Rajasthan is the majestic sand dunes in the Thar desert. Set against the blue sky, the wind shaped dunes gives a magical view. The picturesque dunes in the desert are the accumulation of windblown sand marks and one of nature's most interesting and beautiful phenomena. The ripples on the wind-caressed dunes create enchanting mirages - a photographer's delight. The picturesque dunes against a sky of blue or a full moon, with perfectly contoured shadows of ripples and undulating crests, have always been a favorite subject of photographers. The sand dunes keep changing colors and shapes every minute. A trip to Rajasthan is incomplete without a trip to the sand dunes in Thar. These sand dunes are home to a variety of wildlife, very unique to this area. Various cultural activities are also organised with these dunes as the backdrop.

Jaisalmer - Khuri Sand Dunes

Join a camel caravan that begins at Jaisalmer and traverse Rajasthan sands in style to the Khuri village, located at a distance of 42 kilometers from the main Jaisalmer City.

Famous for the Khuri sand dunes, the Khuri village accords you a warm traditional greeting and shows you all that is real and glorious about Rajasthan.

Feast your eyes on artistic fiestas that glamorize golden Jaisalmer sands with colors and ethnic charm. Colorful frescoes of animals, geometrical patterns, bird figures and other interesting patterns that adorn the mud walls of Khuri huts, create romantic vistas with their straw thatch-roofs

Stroll along the narrow Khuri mud streets, shop for indigenous crafts at the bustling village bazaars and feast on traditional home-cooked Rajasthani delicacies on your Rajasthan holiday.

Ride your camel to the Khuri sand dunes that are located at a little distance from the main village and experience the true spirit of gorgeous Jaisalmer. Set camp as dusk begins to set in and help the others in the caravan put up tents, release the camels from their loads and anchor them to a post for rest, help build a bonfire with dried twigs and sit down for a glamorous evening of cultural extravaganza under a clear starlit sky.

Enjoy soul-stirring folk dance and music performances with the Khuri sand dunes adding a quiet enigmatic quality to the entire setting.

Rajasthan Cities

Jaipur :
The sovereign of Amber, built Jaipur in the eighteenth century. It was also in the region of that time that the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had die and the decline of the Mughal Empire had set in. Jai Singh had ongoing unfriendliness himself from the affair of the Mughal Court and he began focused on building of Amber. His investigate for a safe place for the swelling population of Amber resulted in Jaipur, This was India's first planned city and a dazzling architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya from Bengal was made to order to plan the city. He designed it in accord with prehistoric Hindu treatise on architecture, the Shilpa Shastra (Vaastu)...

Udaipur :
Udaipur is known as the Venice of the east. It is also called the city of lakes. The Lake Palace on Jag Niwas Island in the middle of Pichola Lakes is the finest example of its architectural and cultural explosion. The grand City Palace on the banks of the lake compliments the palace along with the Monsoon Palace (Sajjan Garh) on the hill above. Udaipur is also the centre for performing arts, craft and its famed miniature paintings.The Shilp Gram festival is a center of attraction during the season...

Bikaner :
If ever beauty has bloomed in a desert, it has been at Bikaner. Founded in 1488 AD by Rao Bika Ji, it's located in North West part of Rajasthan state in INDIA. The imposing palaces, beautiful and richly sculptured temples of red and yellow sand stones display some of the finest creations of Rajput civilization. It's lust for "dessert" or affection for "desert" that tickles every heart to visit Bikaner...

Jodhpur :
Jodhpur history revolves around the Rathore Clan. Rao Jodha, the chief of the Rathore clan, is credited with the origin of Jodhpur in India. He founded Jodhpur in 1459. The city is named after him only. It was previously known as Marwar. The following paragraphs will tell you more about the past of Jodhpur, Rajasthan...

Jaisalmer :
The History of Jaisalmer has a charm of its own. Like all other cities of Rajasthan, Jaisalmer too has its own glorious past to boast about. History of Jaisalmer draws heavily from the history of the Rajputana. The city is said to be founded by one Raja Rawal Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput ruler, in approximately 1156 A D. Legends go by that he did it on the behest of a local hermit named Eesaal. The raja choose Trikut hill as the new site for his fort. This was because he thought that his previous abode at Luderwa (16 km from present Jaisalmer) was vulnerable towards possible enemy assault...

Bharatpur :
The town was named Bharatpur after Bharata, a brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman is the family deity of the erstwhile royal family of Bharatpur. The name 'Laxman' was engraved on the arms, seals and other emblems of the state...

Rajasthan Forts & Palaces

Jaisalmer Fort :
The Jaisalmer fort was built on the triangular shaped Trikuta hill, 76 m above the town in the 17th century. It is enclosed by a 9m wall with 99 bastions. Within this Rajput fort is a series of palaces, the product of successive generations of rulers...

Chittorgarh Fort :
The indomitable pride of Chittor, the fort is a massive structure with many gateways built by the later Maurya rulers in 7th century A.D. Perched on a 180 m high hill, it sprawls over 700 acres. The chhatris within are impressive reminders of the Rajput heroism.The main gates are Padal Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol and Ram Pol.The fort has many magnificent monuments, which are fine examples of the Rajput architecture.The ancient ruins of the fort are worth spending few moments in solitude...

Bikaner Fort :
Bikaner Fort is popularly referred to as the Junagarh Fort. It was built by Raja Rai Singh who was one of Mughal emperor Akbar's trusted generals. There are as many as 37 citadels which protects the fort. This is one fort in Rajasthan which has never been annexed or conquered. There was one dubious instance though when Prince Kamaran laid seize to the fort, but could not keep it on hold for even 24 hours...

City Palace Jaipur :
The City Palace is an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthani and Mughal art and architecture. The City Palace complex houses several palatial structures. In the heart of the old Jaipur city, the City Palace occupies a large area divided into a series of courtyards, gardens and buildings. Jai Singh built the outer wall but other additions were made much later, some right up to the start of this century...

Amber Fort :
Amber (pronounced Amer) is situated about 11 kilometres from Jaipur and was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber, before the capital was shifted in the plains to present day Jaipur...

City Palace Udaipur :
City Palace located in the heart of Udaipur, was originally built by Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia Rajput clan and extended to its present form by subsequent Maharanas. Built in granite and marble and surrounded by crenellated fort walls, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan stands on a crest overlooking the Pichola Lake...

Nahargarh Fort :
nahargarh fortNahargarh Fort is the first of the three forts built by Maharaja Jai Sawai Singh of Jaipur. The Fort stands at the top of rugged point of the Aravalis and offers a spectacular view of the City. Keeping this fact in mind, the fort was made to serve as a means of supporting the security of Amer. The term "Nahargarh" refers to "the Abode of Tigers", so it is also known as the Tiger Fort. The Fort was constructed mainly in 1734, however further additions were made to it, by the succeeding rulers in the 19th century...

Mehargarh OR Jodhpur Fort :
mehragarh fortMehragarh Fort is one of India's largest forts and located in the picturesque city of Jodhpur. The work of building the fort originally commenced in 1459 on the behest of the founder of Jodhpur - Rao Jodha but much of the fort as it stands today was built in the era of Jaswant Singh. This magnificent fort is spread over 5 kms. and is located on top of a hill which is all of 125 meters high...

Bundi fort :
bundi fortBundi is the undiscovered splendour, 36 Kms from Kota ruled by the Hada Chauhans. First destination is HADOTI. Set in a narrow inclining gorge. The palaces and forts have fairy tale quality about them. Isolated and independent, this picturesque location has much to offer. Rajput architecture shines and in the intricately carved brackets, pillars etc. Interesting places are Diwan-e- aam, Hati Pol, and Naubat Khana...